Improvement in toys



UNITED S'rarns PATENT FFICE.

JOHN JACOB ARNAUD, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THOMAS E. RIDDEL, OF SAME PLACE, ASSIGNOB OF ONE-HALF HIS RIGHT TO JOHN W. RICHARDSON, OF MEDWAY, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN TOYS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 141,4 1 1, dated August 5, 187 3 application filed May 31, 1873.

.To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that 1, JOHN JACOB ARNAUD, of the city of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and Improved Game, which I call the Chinese Tower Game, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the drawing annexed The nature of my invention is that of a series of bars or rods arranged in pairs, in the form of inclined planes, in a frame; of which planes there are several, one above the other, so that a ball being placed on the upper plane will run down over the series to the lowest plane, and thence to a platform with perforated holes, in one of which holes it will rest, or on a movable platform, lying over and resting on the first-named against one or more of a set of pins, like nine-pins, placed upon this platform, the ball knocking down one or more of the pins.

The drawing gives a perspective view of the device, with the ball and two of the pins, the holes in one (the lower) platform being marked in dashed lines.

In the drawing, A A is an open, oblong, shallow box, with a floor or bottom,divided by a wooden bar, B, into two unequal divisions. In the hither and larger division are are seen (one at each end) two inclined planes, 0 C",firmly fixed to the bottom of the box, and inclining toward the center of the same. Between the lower ends of these two planes is the platform D D. This is the upper or movable one, and is seen to be marked with nine circular figures, on two of which are seen, respectively,a movable pin, M M, each similar in shape to one of a set of nine-pins. I use sometimes two, sometimes nine, more or less, of these pins. When this upper platform is removed it is seen to lie upon a lower one, which is fastened to (or sometimes constitutes) the bottom of the box A. This lower platform is seen to be perforated with twelve holes, (see dashed lines,) equidistantly arranged and also numbered, but not serially. Sometimes I use cup-shaped hollows instead of perforations. E is an inclined plane, which crosses at right angles the further division of the box A A, and has its lowest point of equal elevation with the top of the division-bar B, thus leading to the further inclined plane C of the platform. F is the ball with which the game is played. G G G G are four standards, proceeding upward from the further division of the box A A, opposite and inclined toward each other at their tops. These standards are all four connected together at their tops by a small right braces, J J, are placed perpendicularly between the pairs of standards on each side,

from the slab H to the bottom of the box A,

A, to both of which these braces are securely fastened. K K are two square bars of wood fastened, respectively, parallel with each other by their further ends to the inside of the pair of standards G G, and inclined downwardly in a slanting direction toward the standards G G", within a short distance of which they end. They are fastened near their ends to the inside surfaces of the braces J J. L L are two similar bars of wood, below the bars K K, and are fastened at'their outer ends to the inside surfaces of the standards G G".

These bars, parallel to each other, are inclined downward toward the standards G G, and pass beyond the braces J J, to which they are fastened, to within a short distance of the standards G G. Other arrangements of a similar nature are disposed underneath these bars L L, the conditions being that there are alternate pairs of bars from top to bottom of my standards, from each side of the upright portions of my device, which pairs of bars proceed at an inclination downward to a short distance from the pair of standards opposite to that which bears them. The conditions of these alternate inclined planes being the same,I need not further describe them.

In my drawing there are seen seven of these pairs of inclined bars, but 1 do not limit myself to any particular number.

The operation of the invention is as follows: To play with the pins I place the upper platform over the lower one, and the pins upon two or more of the circular spots. Then I drop the ball F through the circular aperture of the slab H, when it falls onto the upper inclined plane and rolls from there to the next one below, and so through the whole of them, finally reaching the platform and knocking down one or more of the pins. To play with the lower platform I remove the upper one and allow the ball to roll in the manner above described through the inclined planes, when it finally reaches the platform and lodges in one of the holes shown in dashed lines. The

number marked next to the receiving-hole, or the number of pins thrown down, constitute the conditions upon which the game is lost or won.

I claim- 1. The combination of the open frame-work, composed essentially of the standards G G with two or more inclined bars and the perforated platform, when all said parts are constructed and arranged substantially as described.

2. The combination of the open frame-work, inclined bars, and the platform with one or more movable pins and the ball, when constructed and arranged to operate substantiall as described.

JOHN J AGOB ARNAUD.

Vvitnesses:

LEMUEL P. J ENKS, THOS. E. RIDDEL. 

